About Pediatric Plastic Surgery
This information is intended for general information only and should not be considered as medical advice on the part of Health-Tourism.com. Any decision on medical treatments, after-care or recovery should be done solely upon proper consultation and advice of a qualified physician.
Who is a Pediatric Plastic Surgeon?
This is a plastic surgeon that performs surgery on children, to fix any deformities caused by injury, illness or birth defects. Pediatric plastic surgeons know how to examine and treat children in a manner that does not scare but relaxes them. Moreover, they use equipment specifically designed for children and their offices are decorated with children in mind and it commonplace to find toys, games and children books there.
What is pediatric plastic surgery?This is plastic surgery performed on children. Most of its procedures are conducted for reconstructive or cosmetic purposes. This line may be blurred for children as most congenital deformities impair physical function as well as aesthetics.
Pediatric plastic surgeons provide treatment for the following:- Birth defects of the face and skull (misshapen skull, cleft lip and palate)
- Birth defects of the chest and limbs (misshapen breasts, webbed fingers and toes),
- Birth defects of the ear (protruding or absent ear),
- Injuries to the face, head, arms, hands, and legs
- Scars and birthmarks,
- Burns and
- Cosmetic surgery to improve a child's self-image.
Common pediatric birth defects requiring plastic surgery - Cleft lip and/or palate – This birth defect causes physical side effects manifested in the underdeveloped lip and palate. Due to a host of other potential complications, these children are cared for by a team that may include plastic surgeons, speech pathologists, maxillofacial surgeons and dentists.
- Syndactyly – This is the most common of congenital malformations affecting limbs and it is the failure of fingers or toes to differentiate into unique digits.
- Polydactyly – This is a birth defect affecting the limbs and manifests in the presence of extra fingers or toes at birth.
- Positional Plagiocephaly – Plagiocephaly is the flattening of one area of the skull, especially the one babies tend to favor as they lie down. While treatment is often as simple as repositioning the baby during sleep, helmet therapy may be required in more pronounced cases. Many pediatric plastic surgeons have become familiar with helmet therapy and plagiocephaly is quite minor and easily resolved.
- Craniosynostosis –This condition occurs when there is a premature fusing of one or more sutures in the skull.
- Craniofacial anomalies - Includes craniosynostosis, plagiocephaly, and other syndromes which are associated with these defects.
- Vascular anomalies – Rare vascular tumors, vascular malformations, and hemangiomas often have prominent interior bodily effects and they manifest themselves physically. Treatment is required to minimize the physical side effects of a hemangioma or vascular anomalies, and also to help in finding out why the tumor is present if it is indeed present.
What kind of training do pediatric plastic surgeons have? Pediatric plastic surgeons are doctors who have trained for at least 4 years of medical school, 3 years of residency training in general surgery, up to 3 years of additional training in plastic surgery, additional fellowship training in pediatric plastic surgery and certification from the American Board of Plastic Surgery.
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